I've used a hybrid method which involves emailing each relevant user
to tell them an update is available. They can then install the update
from a copy in a shared folder on the network using a little Access
application installed on their machine. The update is done from a
button on a form in this application with the following code, in this
case for a front end named Smr.mde:
On Error GoTo ErrHandler
Dim strMessage As String, strBackEndDb As String
Dim strCurrentDb As String, strNewDb As String
Dim dbs As Database
' check if front end open
On Error Resume Next
Set dbs = DBEngine.Workspaces(0).OpenDatabase(CurrentPath() &
"Smr.Mde", True)
Select Case Err.Number
Case 3356 ' front end is open
DisplayMessage "The SMR is open on this machine. Please close
" & _
"the SMR and try again."
Exit Sub
Case Else
' do nothing
End Select
dbs.Close
Err.Clear
Set dbs = Nothing
On Error GoTo Err_OKButton_Click
' get path to back end database from text boxes
strBackEndDb = PathToSource & "\" & DbFile
' ensure path to back end database has been entered
If IsNull(PathToSource) Then
DisplayMessage "Path to source database must be " & _
"entered before updating SMR software."
Exit Sub
Else
' ensure file name has been entered
If IsNull(DbFile) Then
DisplayMessage "File name must be " & _
"entered before updating SMR software"
Exit Sub
End If
End If
' check that source database exists
If Dir(strBackEndDb) = "" Then
DisplayMessage "The database you have specified as the " & _
"source was not found."
Exit Sub
End If
' check copy of new front end available in back end folder
strNewDb = PathToSource & "\" & "Smr.mde"
If Dir(strNewDb) = "" Then
DisplayMessage "New software is not currently available."
Exit Sub
End If
' rename current front end if exists
strCurrentDb = CurrentPath() & "Smr.Mde"
On Error Resume Next
Name strCurrentDb As CurrentPath & "Smr_temp.Mde"
Err.Clear
' copy file from back end
FileCopy strNewDb, strCurrentDb
' if file can't be copied rename temp file back to original
If Err <> 0 Then
Name CurrentPath & "Smr_temp.Mde" As strCurrentDb
DisplayMessage "Unable to update software."
Else
' delete temp file
Kill CurrentPath & "Smr_temp.Mde"
DisplayMessage "SMR Software Updated."
End If
Exit_Here:
On Error GoTo 0
Exit Sub
Err_Handler:
MsgBox Err.Description, vbExclamation, "Error"
Resume Exit_Here
The user first browses to the new front end in the shared folder with
a button on the form with this code:
On Error GoTo ErrHandler
Dim OpenDlg As New BrowseForFileClass
Dim strFullPath As String, strFolder As String, strFile As String
Dim intLength As Integer, intCount As Integer
OpenDlg.DialogTitle = "Select Source File"
OpenDlg.DefaultType = "*.mdb"
strFullPath = OpenDlg.GetFileSpec
Set OpenDlg = Nothing
If strFullPath = "" Then Exit Sub
' Loop backwards through selected full path
' until backslash encountered
intLength = Len(strFullPath)
For intCount = intLength To 0 Step -1
If Mid(strFullPath, intCount, 1) = "\" Then
' Store folder and file names in variables
strFolder = Left(strFullPath, intCount - 1)
strFile = Mid(strFullPath, intCount + 1)
Exit For
End If
Next intCount
' Populate text boxes on form
Me!PathToSource = strFolder
Me!DbFile = strFile
Exit_Here:
Exit Sub
ErrHandler:
MsgBox Err.Description, vbExclamation, "Error"
Resume Exit_Here
This fills two text boxes, PathToSource and DbFile on the form with
the path to the folder and the name of the file, which the first
button's code then reference. The browse dialogue is opened using
Bill Wilson's class module obtainable from:
http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx...libraryMessages&webtag=ws-msdevapps&tid=22415
Ken Sheridan
Stafford, England
Good Day Mr Brandt
Thanks for the quick response. I would like to use the Auto FE update but
I need sometime to learn it. For now email may be my best option. A couple
other questions; If I send the FE in an email it should save over the old FE
with the new FE, am I correct? Would it be better to create a .bat file to
replace the old file? What happens with the links back to the tables on the
BackEnd?
Thanks
Email?
Posting a link on a web page?
Automatic "pushes" via login scripting?
I personally have my own "Version Checker" app that is simply another MDE
that the shortcuts to my apps point to. The version checker has links to
two tables in my "latest version" on the server and a link to the user's
local copy of the app.
The local table and one of the server tables simply hold version
numbers. If the number on the server is higher then the local version is
known to not be the latest.
The other server link is to a user's table. I can set a flag for
individual users who should receive updates.
The version numbering has an integer as well as a fractional component.
When I up the integer value (294.6 to 295.0 for example) then ALL users
will get pushed an update. If I up only the fractional component (294.6
to 294.7) then that by itself does not trigger an update. In those cases
I set the update flag for all users that need the new version and only
those users get it.
So...the version checker app is opened. It determines per-user whether
an update is required. When it is, the new file is copied to their local
disk and then launched. If no update is called for then the current
version is launched. Then the version checker closes itself.
This system allows me to do frequent updates, but not have them affect
all users every time. The vast majority of my updates are per-user
(actually groups in most cases) targeted rather than the global type.
